It’s the time of year of year where we spread more than holiday cheer…
Winter is here, the beautiful bluffs glittered with snow and fireplaces glowing an amber hue. Oh the beauties of the Iowa seasons! What might not be so beautiful, are those illnesses that can accompany the cold and winter months. In the winter, we are typically indoors more often, running to holiday parties and family gatherings with other people that are ill, and the cycle of never ending coughs and colds pursue. Most winter illnesses can be managed with TLC and sleep, but ailments like the flu, shingles and other viruses, can really knock someone down hard. Taking preventative measures now, can help keep you striving throughout the seasons.
The definition of Influenza aka “Flu”:
Web MD’s definition of influenza is “a viral infection. People often use the term “flu” to describe any kind of mild illness, such as a cold or a stomach virus, that has symptoms like the flu. But the real flu is different. Flu symptoms are usually worse than a cold and last longer. The flu usually does not cause vomiting or diarrhea in adults. The flu causes a fever, body aches, a headache, a dry cough, and a sore or dry throat. You will probably feel tired and less hungry than usual. The symptoms usually are the worst for the first 3 or 4 days. But it can take 1 to 2 weeks to get completely better”.
Since the immune system is most likely suppressed, prior to ever having flu or shingles, sometimes other opportunistic infections such as ear infections or pneumonia can come about adding insult to injury.
The easiest way to avoid illness is to improve and maintain your immune system! Typically when our immune system is not functioning (which can be due to stress, disease, everyday toxin overload, decreased exercise, increased sweets/decreased nutritious foods) we are highly susceptible to illnesses, as our body is working hard to process all of the other stressors in the body.
How to keep healthy
- Decrease stress. Realize that the stresses of holidays and don’t overdo it. Take “me-time” so can unwind, relax, meditate and focus on what is really important to you in your current life. Holidays sometimes mean we aren’t able to avoid the people that are what I call “energy zappers”, but we can try to limit our exposure to them.
- Decrease toxins. As I emphasize throughout all my articles, decreasing toxins in our lives will help enhance our immune system. Choose organic when possible, avoid chemicals – including artificial scents/products (perfume, laundry detergent, body wash, lotions, candles). Use essential oils to diffuse throughout the house, some specific essential oils (I use one called Thieves), can actually eliminate spores and other toxins from the air. Do the magnificent detox baths 2-5x/week with 2 cups epsom salt + 1/4 cup baking soda.
- Take supplements. Vitamin C and zinc are my go-to supplements when I’m feeling rundown. Vitamin C 1000mg three times daily and Zinc 25-30mg daily can really help perk up the immune system. I always recommend purchasing supplements that do not have fillers or a lot of “other ingredients”, they won’t perk you up as well as high qualities brands will. Use Select Balance for all your supplement needs!
- Get IV Nutrition! Say what? IV nutritional therapy loads your body with high dose vitamins and minerals, bypassing the GI system and going straight into your bloodstream. Delivering powerful nutrients & antioxidants directly to your cells, will get you on your feet faster! Vive IV Therapy in Dubuque is a great place to utilize for this purpose. Vive IV has an infusion called the “Natural Flu shot” where there are high doses of VItamin C, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals infused in an IV bag to help give that needed boost when people are feeling the start of an illness coming on.
- Vitamin D3 Injections! 50,000 IU injections we recommend doing once weekly x6-8 weeks to help your immune system. Optimal (between 60-80) Vitamin D levels have been shown in studies to be more effective than the flu shot. In addition, you can also take 5,000IU (or more depending on your levels), during the winter month to keep your levels optimal.
Being proactive and helping your immune system stay at the top of its game, will get you through this winter and all other seasons, in a breeze!
